Board Policies
Policies are adopted by the Board of Directors by motion or resolution, and thus are all included in the Minutes. What follows is a summary of those policies adopted between June 2011 and May 2015, inclusive.
Numbers indicate the year and month each policy was adopted, with suffix letters used when more than one policy was adopted at a meeting.
Administration
1209A: Annual Convention — Society conventions shall be held annually. (September 2012, item X)
1206B: Audit Committee — Created and charged with selecting an auditor for the Society's books. (1 July 2012, item VIII)
1401B: Augustæum Reports — Each Director, Committee Chairman, Project Head, and Dean is required to submit a report of 100 to 500 words to the Editor of Augustæum for publication at least once per year. (January 2014, item XVII)
1312A: Awards — The Balling Award will be granted to one individual each year for having made the greatest contribution to the Society in the previous year. Should this award be granted to an individual six times, the last will be the Metzler award, and they will thereafter be ineligible for either. (December 1312, item XII)
1207B: Committee Membership — When sufficient expertise is not available from the membership, non-members may be appointed to any Society Committee by the respective Chairmen as "non-member consultants", upon proper notice to Headquarters, provided that the majority of all Committees be Society members at all times. (21 July 2012, item XVIII)
1207C: Committee Membership — XIX. When members of Committees are not members of the Society, any listing on the website must carry a notation that they are “Non-Member Consultants”. (21 July 2012, item XIX)
1112: Directors Emeritus — Adopted "as published". (December 2011, item V.2)
1303C: Fellowship — The point value required for election to Fellowship is set at 1000 points. The multiplier between Fellowship ranks be set at 2. Both values (and the point values for each category) will be reviewed annually. Worthy candidates are to be presented for Board approval at each monthly meeting of the Board. (March 2013, item XIV.A)
1304B: Fellowship — Members may be elected or promoted to the Fellowship rank deserved at any monthly Board meeting. (April 2013, item XII)
1306: Fellowship — Fellowship honoris causa shall be considered by the Board whenever a non-Augustan has earned 2000 points. (June 2013, item XIII)
1111A: Fellowship Points — The point value for financial contributions, including donations-in-kind, shall be one point per dollar. (November 2011, item IX.A)
1111B: Fellowship Points — The point value for volunteer time shall be 7.25 points per hour. (November 2011, item IX.B)
1308A: Fellowship Points — The point value for articles published in the Augustan Omnibus shall be 250 points. (August 2013, item XXIV)
1308B: Fellowship Points — The point value for recruiting new members shall be 200 points. (August 2013, item XXIV)
1404B: Fellowship Requirements — The number of points required for an award of Fellowship, Fifth Class, is increased to 1100 points; the points required for all other ranks being increased in proportion. (April 2014, item XV)
1501: Fellowship — The former Policy that an exception be made to the point system on each occasion when a year has passed without a senior promotion (above FAS/1) to reward the member most deserving is repealed. (January 2015, item XXVI)
1301: Financial Reserves — That 75% of annual budgeted expenses be set as the target value of the General Fund’s liquid accounts, and the balance of annual expenses be held in accounts that could be liquidated within a week. The latter may be held within the Investment Fund. (January 2013, item XXIII)
1108A: Financial Reserves — That the Treasurer may withdraw funds from the Investment Fund as needed to maintain the target value of the General Fund, save that such withdrawals may not exceed the actual income in the previous month. (August 2011; item XXVI)
1411: Five-Year Plan — Adopted and published on the Wiki. Future changes will be made directly on the Wiki. (November 2014, item VIII)
1108B: Good Standing — That membership in-good-standing is defined as having paid current dues to the Society; paid current dues to Senior Orders; participated in all assessments imposed by the Board; subscribed to the journal with at least one additional issue due (life members only); and no outstanding debts to the Society. A thirty (30) day grace period will be observed. Sponsored Members are not out of good standing solely on account of sponsorship.
1309A: Headquarters — The Society shall endeavor to rent office space as can be afforded with the investment income plus current storage rental charges. (September 2013, item IX)
1404A: Identification in Communications — Public communications must include the officer’s full name, the relevant title of the officer, and the words “The Augustan Society, Inc.” in paper letterhead or email signature. (April 2014, item XIII)
1304A: Insignia — Protocol for wearing Society insignia adopted. (April 2013, item V)
1209D: Insignia of Lineage Groups — The lineage groups — SDLKJ, ODI, ODS, OC, and OCC — are no longer accorded breast badges, and mention of them is removed from their charters. Stock on hand may be issued only to eligible Augustan members in Good Standing. (September 2012, item XVIII)
1404D: Investment Fund Withdrawals — Headquarters Staff are authorized to withdraw up to $500 per month from the Investment Fund to ensure the fluidity of the General Fund. (April 2014, item XVIII)
1404C: Late Renewal Fee — The late fee for membership renewals received after the published deadline is abolished. (April 2014, item XVII)
1209E: Lineage Groups — The “Order of Descendants of Ireland” shall become the “Society of Descendants of Ireland”; and the “Order of Descendants of Scotland” shall become the “Society of Descendants of Scotland”. (September 2012, item XIX.A-B)
1209F: Lineage Groups — The “Order of the Conqueror” shall become the “Society of Descendants of the Conqueror”; and the “Order of the Conqueror’s Companions” shall become the “Society of Descendants of the Conqueror’s Companions”. The two are then merged into the "Society of Descendants of the Conquest" with two classes, Conqueror and Companion. (September 2012, item XIX.C-D)
1209G: Lineage Groups — Anyone who is a member of a lineage group in one class may add one or more classes at an entry fee 50% of what is required for initial membership. The Genealogist Fee will not reflect this discount. (September 2012, item XX)
1210B: Membership — New members of the Society may be inducted immediately upon petition and payment of fees. They no longer need to be elected by the Board of Directors. Former members will continue to be subject to Board election. (October 2012, item XIV)
1507: Non-Discrimination: The Society does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants in the Society. (July 2015, item X)
1205: Postnominal use by the Society — The Society will use not more than three internal and three external postnominals. Members may select which of their recognized postnominals they wish to have used. (May 2012, item XIII)
1209H: Postnominal use on the Website — The Society’s main web site will restrict the use of postnominals to only the most senior Society postnominal appropriate to each page. Non-members without a Society postnominal may use one recognized postnominal of their choice on request. (September 2012, item XXI)
1209B: Postnominal Use by Fellows — Society Fellows are asked to use the postnominals FAS in all situations outside the Society where appropriate in preference to OAE, MR, LMR, MRE, OAA, KCR, DCR, ECR, MAS, or any combination thereof, so that the Society may present a more consistent appearance to the world. (September 2012, item XVI)
1209C: Postnominals of Lineage Groups — The charters of the lineage groups — SDLKJ, ODI, ODS, OC, and OCC — are amended to delete the privilege of postnominals presently associated with membership. (September 2012, item XVII)
1210C: Postnominals of Membership — Effective 20 October 2012, the postnominals MAS will no longer be used by the Society, and will no longer be one of the benefits of membership. (October 2012 item XIV)
1403: Postnominals in Public Communications — Public communications may use only honorifics that are currently recognized by the Society, but private communications could continue to employ all honorifics previously recognized by the Society that have not been specifically revoked. (March 2014, item XXIII)
1407: Program Priorities — Responsibility for setting Program Priorities not specified by the Board are assigned to Headquarters Staff. These priorities are used to determine how Staff should allocate their time and budgets. (July 2014, item XV)
1110: Reimbursement Procedure: The minimum amount reimbursed is $10; lesser amounts are held as a credit. (October 2011, item V.6)
1806: Renewal Notices: Renewal notices be sent by mail in September; reminders sent by email in October, November, and December; those without email are sent a mail reminder in November; and a final notice by mail and email in January.
1308C: Sponsors — Credit for sponsoring a new member will be extended only to members whose names are submitted by the new member. (August 2013, item XXV)
1410: Sponsored Membership — Fellows of the Society who find themselves under financial hardship may, on application, have their annual dues waived, subject to budgetary limits. This will cover only dues, with a paid (discounted) subscription to the journal continuing to be required. Sub-group dues may be covered at the discretion, and at the expense, of those groups. (October 2014, item XXVI)
1303B: Stationery — Standard stationery has been designed for each office; all are directed to apply to HQ for copies (electronic or paper) as needed. (March 2013, item XI)
Chivalry
1401A: Chivalry Petitions — The Chivalry Committee will accept and process petitions for recognition of membership and rank in Chivalric Orders, etc., from non-members. (January 2014, item XV)
1311A: Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem — Members of this Order are to be addressed as "Chev.", not "Sir". (November 2012, item X)
1311B: Postnominals — The use of postnominals in most situations is limited to a maximum of three, one of which shall be the most senior Society postnominal (if held). Postnominals used will normally be the most senior for each category of honors — Chivalric, Academic, Ecclesiastical, Society, and Military. Members may, upon request, have any combination of postnominals used, not exceeding a total of three, provided that one Society honor is included (if held). (November 2012, item XII)
Heraldry
1204B: Arms Registration — Policy for such is adopted, text not immediately available. (April 2012, item XVII)
1305A: Arms Registration — Petitioners for Registration of Arms may optionally list their heirs. (May 2013, item VII.A)
1305B: Arms Registration — Petitioners for Registration of Arms may optionally denote their preferred system of inheritance. If no preference for a system of inheritance is declared, the default position is that all heirs inherit the undifferenced arms. A registrant may change the system of inheritance at a later time. (May 2013, item VII.B)
1305C: Arms Registration — It is the responsibility of Arms Registrant to inform the Society that there are additional heirs. (May 2013, item VII.C)
1309B: Arms Registration — Insignia and chiefs of the Order of the Augustan Eagle and Noble Company of the Rose may not be included in registrations. (September 2013, item XV)
1306: Online Armorial — Only currently recognized postnominals may be included in the Online Armorial. (June 2013, item X)
Nobility
1312B: Recognition of Honors — As a number of Dynastic Order disputes are based on complex situations, both legally and societally, with experts taking opposing views on them, it is the Augustan Society’s policy to avoid appearing in any way to assume any authority to adjudicate these matters. While our positions are always based on thorough examination of solid evidence, we also deem academic reserve to be an important reflection of our espoused scholarly approach. The Augustan Society, in this regard, stands ready to recognize honors granted by pretenders with historically, genealogically, and legally credible claims to being the fons honorum or Grandmaster of a Dynastic Order. (December 2013, item XVIII)
Communications
1303A: A Guide to Chivalry — This title is withdrawn from distribution pending revision. (March 2013, item V)
1402A: Back Issue Redactions — Reprints of back issues shall be redacted only for obsolete addresses, phone numbers, prices, for typographical errors, and similar. Postnominals and titles not presently recognized will be permitted to remain. (February 2014, item XX)
1402B: Back Issue Notice — Reprints of back issues that use honorifics or postnominals not presently recognized by the Society shall carry a disclaimer on the inside cover, contents page, or such other location as may be available. (February 2014, item XXI)
1505: Each Committee Chairman, Dean, and Coordinator is required to submit a report on his Committee of 100 to 500 words to the Editor of Augustæum for publication at least once per year. (May 2015, item XXVI)
Sub-Groups
1201: Lineage Group Charter Amendment Process — Approved "as published". (January 2012, item V.8)
1204A: Order of the Augustan Eagle Charge — The responsibility for adopting and maintaining a Mission Statement for the Society is delegated to the Order of the Augustan Eagle. (April 2012, item XIII)
1210A: Lineage Group Membership — Augustan Society membership is no longer a prerequisite for admission to the Lineage Groups — Society of Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, Society of Descendants of Ireland, Society of Descendants of Scotland, and Society of Descendants of the Conquest. (October 2012, item X)
1409: Sub-Group Quorum Failure — When the Councils of the Order of the Augustan Eagle or the Noble Company of the Rose fail to obtain a quorum at a duly called meeting, the Directors present at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be seated as the Council and conduct such essential business as may not be practically delayed. (September 2014, item XXII)
